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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: can · pitch · pound · saw · vault · suit · nail · hand

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. hand — help
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. can — a tin
  6. suit — clothes
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. pitch — completely
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. suit — to fit
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. hand — in cards
  16. pound — a weight
  17. saw — the tool
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. vault — a safe
  21. can — a tin
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. can — to be able to
  24. suit — in cards

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com